Transporters in Balochistan have accused Pakistani security personnel of extortion and harassment at check posts along the Makran Coastal Highway, as protests and a strike action continue to disrupt services in parts of the province.
Iqbal Shahzai, Chairman of the Sindh-Balochistan Bus Transporters Union, alleged during a press briefing in Winder that transport operators are being compelled to make illegal payments at multiple check posts established in the name of security. He allaged that vehicles are stopped repeatedly within the same district, where drivers and support staff are questioned and, in some cases, harassed. Passengers, he said, are also facing significant inconvenience due to prolonged checks.
According to Shahzai, the situation has adversely affected the transport business and contributed to growing public frustration.
Parliamentary Secretary for Energy Mir Asghar Rind has called on the provincial government to take immediate notice of the strike by bus operators in Kech and Gwadar and to address what he described as their legitimate concerns. He said that while transporters are facing operational difficulties, ordinary passengers — particularly those from low-income backgrounds — are bearing the brunt of the disruption.
Rind noted that the suspension of services during the holy month of Ramadan was a matter of concern. He urged authorities to ensure that personnel deployed at check posts adopt a professional and public-oriented approach, and that security checks remain transparent, efficient and limited strictly to security requirements.
He further stated that he intends to raise the matter with the Chief Minister of Balochistan and on the floor of the provincial assembly.
Separately, the Makran High Court Bar Association has called for the removal of what it termed unnecessary check posts, or alternatively the consolidation of checks into a single centralised post along the highway. The association also urged authorities to initiate dialogue with transporters to reach a durable resolution and minimise hardship for the public.
There has been no immediate response from security officials regarding the allegations.